If you find the look of a typical espresso maker, with all its dainty knobs and levers, lacking in character, you're not alone. Israeli design student Schmuel Linkski's concrete-encased Lavazza unit is a bold ode to refinement and durability.

Why concrete? "I had a vision," Linkski explains. "Concrete in the kitchen, not only as a wall or decorative part, I wanted it to be a desirable consumer product." While the experience of hauling it home from the store might harm it's chances as a hit among consumers, Linkski's machine is truly gorgeous. [Dezeen]